The historic details give Ringwould a distinct cultural focus: the parish church of St Nicholas combines 12th-century origins with later architectural features and memorials; historic houses complete the picture. For those interested in culture, several specific themes emerge – church architecture, places of remembrance and building styles from different centuries. This can help you decide whether to consider Ringwould for your stay if you are interested in history and architecture.
Church architecture spanning several centuries
The parish church, Church of St Nicholas, dates from the 12th century and is thought to have been built around 1130. Its west tower was built in 1628; the north arcade comprises four bays from the 14th century, supported by rough octagonal piers. This makes it possible to distinguish several phases of construction in a single building. The windows also provide distinctive features: two original Norman windows survive. One depicts St Nicholas in the west wall of the tower; the other is in the south wall near the porch. Two trefoil-headed windows in the chancel complement these forms. The tower, arcade and windows offer specific architectural details through which the different phases of construction can be traced.
Memorials and churchyard
In the tower, a brass memorial plaque to John Upton, who died in 1530, is mounted on a wooden wall panel. The gravestones in the churchyard also vary in location and dedication: one of the two listed gravestones south of the church is for Richard Blake, who died in 1723. About five metres east of the Church of St Nicholas stands a listed group of seven gravestones belonging to the Taylor family. These memorials add personal places of remembrance to the building’s history. Two old yew trees also stand in the churchyard. They are estimated to be about 1,300 and 1,000 years old respectively – approximate figures that remain important when assessing the age of these ancient trees.
Houses, materials and architectural history
The historic houses also offer a range of architectural details. Old Bakehouse has a date plaque inscribed “T E D 1737”; the date refers to the plaque and is not necessarily the year the house was built. Laundry Cottage is a timber-framed house with rendered exterior surfaces and a brick-clad facade on the right-hand side. Home Farmhouse and Wall includes a flint wall about 20 metres long, dating from the 17th century. The interior is thought to date largely from the same period.
Ringwould House was built in 1813 by Sir John Soane for Reverend John Monins. The house is built of yellow brick and has a slate roof and a large central chimney. The interior is said to contain panelling and fitted bookshelves. Comparing the buildings brings out a range of materials and forms: timber framing, rendered surfaces, flint and yellow brick each tell a different architectural story. Together with the church’s details, they offer architecture enthusiasts several clearly distinct themes, without requiring a set itinerary to be inferred from the individual buildings.
A walking route through Kingsdown Wood
For walkers, public footpath ER306 offers another way to take in the landscape: it leads through Kingsdown Wood towards Ringwould. This offers a different focus from the village’s architectural and ecclesiastical heritage. As rights of way conditions can change, it is advisable to check the path’s status before setting out.
Discover more destinations: Yalding, Shadoxhurst, Elham, Edenbridge, Tonbridge, Waldershare, Westerham, Penshurst.
For the main travel overview: Kent.
